Too expensive for money
by Wolphie
Summary: The snobbiest characters of the AU will be going trough tough times, searching for Nevrishka's Core. What that is, you ask? Even they don't know. And that it cannot be bought with money. This was written for a contest; may update it shortly. R


**Too Expensive for Money**

"I'm leaving."

A pair of high heels owned by two sparkling shoes were hitting the marble floors violently at a fast pace. The rhythmical sound was paused for a few seconds, for a hand whose wrist was hugged by a fairly wide solid gold bracelet to pull and close a heavy door behind a gown. The golden ribbons and laces shimmered in the sunlight as the metal edges of the heels recommenced striking the concrete on the streets while the owner moved along in an elegant manner.

The two ladies walking next to each other stopped their chat and curtsied with a greet receiving a modest nod, sign that their attention has been noticed. Descending the rock stairs, the slight clamping sound echoed towards a small arcade, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings as groups of pigeons were flying out of the way of the heavy gown. Two polished empty shining armors were decorating the sides of the arcade in symmetry, to be observed _and_ ignored by the expensive gold-trimmed gown.

Walking through the royal garden, the two feet slowed down their pace until they stopped for their owner to observe the destroyed floral ornaments. It looked like some creature that lacked several fingers and had the remaining ones five centimeters thick attempted to pick some of the plants with delicacy. The two feet continued their way to the castle, ignoring and avoiding the headless statue that _lied_ just in front of the entrance.

Two large doors were opened in sync by two guards with a bow, while the elegant gown ascended the stairs, not paying attention to the respectful men, but speeding up. After the wall on which a large, polished sword with a sparkling hilt was passed, and after another greet was heard from one of the maids, two green eyes in the end of the long hallway looked up from a book, soon to be covered by a palm as a sigh echoed next to the clamping.

"Edward, I need your help." A firm female voice almost ordered as the brown-haired prince rolled his eyes as a green-haired young lady stopped before him.

"What... What are you reading?" She grabbed Edward's book and swapped it with the one she had been carrying. "Look, I found this book yesterday in..." Lydia paused while Edward analyzed the cover of the book and opened it, raising his eyebrows at the girl's silence. "...It doesn't matter where I got it, but it has some incredibly powerful spells and information regarding ancient magical..." Edward sighed, closed the book and looked away from the book.

"Lydia, if I wanted _any_ of these boring spell books, I would have gone to _any_ library in this big world and borrowed one. But I will probably never do that, since I have no use of such things."

"You can't find it in _any_ library in the world. There are only a few copies of this book and I got mine from the se-cret... archives...of... Thais..." Lydia mumbled the last part as Edward looked at her straight-faced as a pause followed.

"How did you get access to the secret archives, Lydia?" The green-haired girl opened her mouth but found nothing to say.

"Well...I...I didn't _personally_... but..."

The sound of a smashing dish in the next room interrupted the tensioned moment. Then a man screaming and a beastly groan followed as Lydia looked at Edward while he covered his face in his palms. "This reminds me, did Belf want to pick a nice bucket of flowers from the garden this morning and then offer it to the statue of your grand-grandfather before giving it a hug?" Lydia asked as Edward looked at her with an annoyed expression.

"I would have proposed to someone if I had the chance!" He said, frustrated while Lydia's face changed into a scowl.

"The rat girl?" She groaned.

"I never said that."

"The moth?"

"I never said that!" Her lips curled into a smile.

"Me?"

"I _**never**_ said _that_!" Lydia frowned and snatched the book from Edward's lap, puffing with indignation and looking the prince in the eye with a glare. "So!" Edward said, straightening himself and pushing aside the previous discussion.

"Will you come with me to find the most important ancient weapon ever created, or not?" Lydia demanded, not waiting to be asked.

Edward inhaled, visualizing.

_A large mud puddle in the middle of the path that could be **easily** avoided was being stared at by a certain young lady with stupor. _

"_Edward, fix this!" She said, looking at Edward with a 'what are you waiting for?' expression._

_**Splash!** Edward's eyes popped wide and he turned around, seeing Lydia look down a water well with an annoyed expression on her face while muttering a stifled "Of all the nerve!". Edward noticed with despair her naked wrist and clenched his eyes shut before covering them with a hand._

"_Edward, fix this!" Lydia commanded, looking at Edward._

"_Edward, fix this, will you?" Lydia said, turning her back to a group of trolls that roared angrily at the young lady that held a golden locket in the sunlight, checking the authenticity while Edward gulped and stepped back. _

"_Edward!" Lydia grunted, pointing at the dog that was running off, dragging a bag on the ground. "Fix this!"_

Edward blinked, swallowing and looking at the waiting girl in front of him. Lydia crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows as Edward exhaled. He shook his head 'no' as Lydia opened her mouth at the rejection. She clenched her teeth and spun around, leaving soundly and not noticing that she stepped mercilessly with the sharp heel on someone's foot.

"Little gimp human! I squash you like bug." A hoarse voice roared as Lydia turned around to face the orc woman, ready to shoot her with insults regarding her bare feet, muddy skin, greasy hair and disproportionate body.

"You smell." Lydia reduced her list, turning her back to Belf elegantly and continuing her way on the long halls.

Two ladies started giggling under her breath after passing two individuals that seemed to be lost tourists, arguing intensely over a map. One of the two young men looked at the two girls as they walked away and then at his male companion with a straight face. The blonde man looked up from the map at his companion's silence. He rolled his eyes with a indifferent face and sighed.

"What?" He asked, almost annoyed as Lars sniffed and looked away.

"Your _stupid_ clothes are making _me_ look bad. Only because I am standing next to you." The sorcerer said in a superior manner, tapping the expensive cape that covered the blonde's shoulder. Nicolas looked at him in disgust for a good ten seconds.

"Shut up." He said, stoic, wanting to return to examining the rumpled world map, but ended passing it to Lars as his blue eyes started searching the surroundings.

"It smells like magic around here..." Lars eventually said, after he himself decided that he could not identify the source that gave them both the odd feeling.

"I think the only thing that smells is him." Nicolas said, turning around at a blonde boy that was kneeling behind him.

"Oh, _please_, lords, give me _one_ penny!" Lars looked at the beggar and grimaced.

"How annoying!" Nicolas said, .

"Get off my foot, you rat!" Lars added, looking at the boy with disgust as he kicked the air, disposing of the boy before he and Nicolas turned their backs in sync to see a certain young lady stopping behind the arcade that led the way to the castle. Her brown eyes fixed theirs for a short period before she grabbed one side of her gown and slightly lift it up, only to descend one step and continue her way forward.

"A mage." Nicolas whispered to the sorcerer as the green-haired female approached them at a dangerous distance.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen." Lydia started with a calm smile as Lars checked his watch. "I happened to notice that you are magic users and posses a copy of "Aramadi's Lectures"." Lydia added, showing them her own copy with an expectant look on her face.

Lars looked at Nicolas and slightly shook his head while frowning.

"Are you searching Nevrishka's Core?" Lydia shot directly, seeing no reaction.

"You look noble. Are you from Thais?" Nicolas asked, ignoring her question.

"Rupert manor."

Nicolas looked at Lars who shook his head once again and mouthed him a 'women are trouble!'. Nicolas rolled his eyes and looked back at Lydia, to Lars' disdain. Analyzing the situation, the nobleman watched the lady cross her arms and noticed the slightly annoyed look on her face as she was waiting for them to come to a conclusion. That seemed hard to work with.

"We could use your help." The blonde said, while Lars pouted.

"Lydia Rupert." She grinned and curtseyed.

"Lars Tenobor."

"Nicolas Pendragon." Lars saw the mage's face escape a tint of shock when she heard the blonde's full name, although she soon regained her composure. He frowned at her extravagant clothing and at the fact that they were heading towards the exit of Thais before he noticed he could not keep his thoughts inside his head.

"Am I the only one worried by the fact that you are going to travel in a gown, with something that seem to be high heels in your feet?" He eventually asked, receiving an alarmed stare from Lydia.

"What would you _want_ me to wear?" She exhaled with indignation.

Lars looked at Nicolas and mouthed him 'Trouble!' between two scowls.

Under the clouds that were gathering over the Brightwood Forest, Lydia turned around and looked over her shoulder, disgusted. She looked at the green-haired sorcerer that seemed to have no problem with the blonde ragged tramp that had been following them for the past few hours.

"Is he with you?" She asked, stopping and frowning at the beggar.

"Fortunately,... no." Lars responded, crossing his arms.

"Just _one_ coin!"

"Ew..." Lydia said, backing off from the zombie beggar.

"Someone give him a coin! _The core of my ears are starting to hurt, as well as my sinuses._" Nicolas rolled his eyes, turning around dramatically as Lars and Lydia looked at him, puzzled.

"Seriously? You're a _healer_ ?" Lars sniffed.

"Why don't _you_ give him a coin?"

Nicolas widened his eyes at Lydia in shock as the mage stepped back, almost scared at the insistent gaze the nobleman lay on her. She wondered what she did wrong, asking a noble for a coin.

"Are you implying that someone _my_ rank would **ever** carry money _outside_ of Thais, where there are no guards, no safety, no rules?" Nicolas tensed up, almost raising his voice as Lars raised his eyebrows at the nobleman's gold embroidered clothes. "Now give him a coin."

"I don't have any money on me. Money is meant to be left at home." Lars declared shrugging.

"Does my gown look like it has pockets?" Lydia asked, crossing her arms at the two staring young men as a long pause followed.

"You suck!" The beggar said, spinning on his heel and following the path back to Thais, leaving the three nobles in silent shock.

Lars inhaled, while the mage was currently looking down and biting her lip and Nicolas showed no reaction.

"How are we going to survive?" Nicolas finally snapped, grabbing out the map and wiping his sweaty forehead with the ruffled paper.

"Harder than five seconds ago." Lars said in a calm tone, putting his hands on his head as the blonde looked at the stained, moist paper in his hands before feeling his forehead.

"Do I have ink on my face?"

"Can't we just go back to Thais and get some money? You live there. You should know the way." Lydia concluded, ignoring the nobleman's question elegantly.

"You live there too. Do you know the way?" He asked as Lydia remained silent for a couple of seconds.

"Of all the nerve!" She groaned. "One of you fix this!" Lars looked at Nicolas with a 'I-told-you-so!' expression while crossing his arms.

"Really? You're a _mage_?" Lars asked as Lydia spun around to eye the two in silence giving Lars another reason for having doubts about the other two's skills. He yawned in boredom, considering that his feet were itching terribly the moment he left Ghalarah.

"Let's go northeast." Nicolas finally suggested, seeing no reaction from the so-called mage as she and the sorcerer approved convinced and left him behind, disappearing between the trees. Nicolas sighed a few seconds before the two returned, avoiding to look him in the eye.

"You have no idea where the northeast is, do you?"

"Not really."

"Nope."

Nicolas sighed, pointing towards a direction.

"You... want to go to Stormbend?" Lydia asked, somewhat unsure about the healer's following reply.

"Where?" The nobleman frowned as the mage nodded, looking down in comprehension as Lars realized with an 'oh!' why Nicolas stopped to check a map while they were still in his hometown.

He obviously didn't live before.

"If you would have read the book with attention, you would have known that Nevrishka's Core is most probable to be located deep underground, 'where life is no longer possible'. End of quote." Nicolas commented, gasping for air.

"I did." Lars said, intrigued by the fact that the nobleman was looking at him while speaking. "_I_ showed you." The green-haired mage tapped him on the shoulder and shook her head 'no' while warning the sorcerer that Nicolas was losing it. They drained his energy, so he might be biting the soil in the Red Rock Pass.

"If he does, _you_ carry him!" Lydia announced.

A hoarse laugh sent several drips of saliva over Lars' face as he clenched his teeth firmly and breathed tensely. The large man seemed to be losing his breath as the trio watched him without any intention of doing anything, Nicolas clearing his throat and Lydia checking the clock on the wall. Seeing that the man regained his breath, a nice option would have been to leave him be and try searching for another way to get a boat.

"You look like a raccoon, lad, did you know that?" The man said, between laughs, looking at Nicolas, whose mouth widened in the size of a melon. He looked at Lydia to ask for an explanation, but she and Lars were already turning to leave the smelly barn people called 'a house' and making signs to Nicolas that he should follow.

"What are you doing? Where else do you suppose we will find a boat?" He asked as they all circled to debate.

"Don't tell me I'm the only one this filthy fisher spit on!"

"I have an uneasy feeling about this. I sense it will be fairly tough for us if we remain much longer." Lydia said, breaking the pause Lars made with his affirmation.

"What should your senses mean to us?" Nicolas asked, his eyes halfway closed while Lydia puffed.

"Of all the nerve, _I am a mage!_" She exclaimed, annoyed.

"Yes, a mage without sense of direction." Lars added.

"That's enough. We have no other place to go, and we have no money on us. I don't know what your senses tell you, but we don't really have an option." Nicolas said, looking at Lydia who shot them both with a 'you-will-be-sorry' look.

Lars started laughing desperately as Lydia and Nicolas soon followed him, understanding the fisherman's joke, nearly blowing their hearts out of their chests. They could not even imagine a trace of the thought that the man was talking seriously, although he was looking oddly at the three youngsters, not understanding why a raccoon boy was laughing at his fairly serious words. The man eventually frowned, starting to cough violently while pushing a clay cup off the table accidentally on purpose.

"Please excuse us, fisher. I thought you said _'work'_!" Lars said between two laughs as the mentioned word created another state of joy between the three nobles.

"No, that's what I said." He shot simply as silence suddenly hit the room.

"What does..." Lydia started, swallowing. "_w-w-work... _ mean?" She stammered, while cold drops of sweat washed the ink on Nicolas' face.

A loud groan echoed on the shore as a pair of brown eyes fixed the sand the owner wasn't used to. Lydia backed off from the sandy beach, stumbling over when back on concrete. She inhaled, grabbed her gown and pulled it up to examine her shoes. Her eyes went dull when she saw one heel hanging broken at the edge of the shimmering shoe.

She was _not_ going to work, under any circumstances. Especially hang clothes or mop the floors or broom, or any other horrible spirit-draining activity that her hands, feet and nails couldn't resist.

"Lydia, honey. What are you doing here? The dishes need washing." One cheerful lady smiled before the mage and helped her up.

"D-dishes?" She muttered as sleepy Lars and Nicolas passed by, being led to the shore she just left by the fisherman .

"So that is mainly what you have to do." The man said while Lars noticed that was the only thing his mind processed from the whole speech. Alarmed, he tactically watched Nicolas walk lazily to where the earth and water touched, looking dumbly at the fishing net that lay on the wet sand. He turned around and looked at Lars and then at the laying nets.

"Can't you make these nets drag themselves with one of your spells?" He asked, not actually thinking as Lars eyed him in a bored, yet bothered manner.

"Can't _you_ heal these nets until they start dragging themselves?" He mocked the blonde's previous line. "How did you graduate your magic class?" Lars asked, not receiving an answer from the apparently sober Nicolas.

A wave arouse unexpectedly and forced the nobleman gulp some of the salted water after slightly pulling him towards the sea on the wet sand, leaving him soaking wet. He spit some watery sand and glared at the sorcerer that was currently pulling at a net filled with fish and ignored Nicolas like he never did before.

"You are _actually _working?" The healer asked, forgetting about the unexpected and convenient wave that just gave him a bath.

"Do you want to get the Core, or not?" Lars asked, pausing and looking at the thinking Nicolas.

They _could_ return here after they found Nevrishka's Core and make the brainless fish-heads pay for the sadistic and unearthly work they have to do and the way they humiliated them. As he was thinking, grinning and nodding at something that seemed the upper right corner, from Nicolas' point of view, a large mackerel hit him in the face and trickled down his clothes.

This was going to be bad. At least Lars was heaving fun.

"I am _not_ going to wash any of these disgustingly dirty dishes in which both you and that pickerel-head ate." Lydia announced, her cheeks turning red of anger.

"The pickerel lives in fresh water, not salted water."

"Of all the nerve! What gave you the right to corre-..." Lydia cut herself off, remembering the reason they were in this situation. Nevrishka's Core could bring her anything she ever wished for. Including the disposal of the two morons that didn't realize they were just boosting her towards the artifact.

Lars looked at the broken net and then at Nicolas, who was holding the other edge of the fish-catching object. Just _how_ fierce could a bunch of herrings be? Pretty fierce, and possess a nice collection of knife sharp teeth, as well. Lars tapped Nicolas on the shoulder and pointed towards a deck.

Throwing the destroyed net over the edge of the deck, they sighed in relief and headed back to continue with amazing naturalness. A throat being cleared made them both poke their heads over the edge in sync as a pair of angry eyes lied a mad glare on the two.

"How are you going to pay for the destroyed net and the lost fish?"

"Bill my cousin." Lars sighed.

"What he said."

The nobleman received a glare, but he was already walking away.

Lydia sighed loudly as the final plate was placed on top of a cup and reviewed the horrible day, staring in despair at the destroyed skin and nails her hands possessed. How can women survive here? What could everyone in Thais be doing right now? Having extreme fun, no doubt. Fun with their wonderfully perfect hands and in their intact shoes. A clattering sound made her eyes widen and look at the sole stack of dishes she constructed. She covered her eyes as the dishes smashed on the ground before the door was opened.

"And how are you going to pay for these?" The fisherman's wife asked, crossing her arms as Lydia didn't seem to think too much.

"Bill my dad."

"How many days has it been?" Lydia asked, once the light was put out.

"One. Four to come." Nicolas said in a sleepy tone.

"They won't take us on the ship if we continue like this. We should be probably leaving before we die of fatigue." Lars suggested, getting up soundly and grabbing the blankets of both Lydia and Nicolas and throwing them away on the ground.

"What do you think you are doing?" Lydia asked, frustrated.

"Come!" Lars said, opening the window.

"W-what?"

Lars didn't wait to hear the shocked answer as he threw himself over the window. A soft thud was heard from what Lydia supposed it was the ground. Alarmed, she stood up and walked to Nicolas' bed and shook him furiously.

"Nicolas! The fool jumped trough the window!" She said, in a manner she never did before.

"What, already?" He said, standing up and walking to the window. Down, Lars was gesticulating warily for them to jump. Nicolas sighed deeply and climbed on the window still. "What don't I do for more prosperity than I currently have!" He said and left himself fall swiftly and subtly.

Once down, Nicolas and Lars nodded at the backing off Lydia. What if she sprained an ankle?

"Will you catch me?" She asked, after checking the room.

"Are you heavy?" Lars tested as Lydia let out an angry 'oh!'.

"Do- Do I look like?" She almost yelled in frustration.

"I was talking to your gown." Lars said and made a face that Lydia couldn't see, fortunately.

She let herself fall, clenching her eyes to expect the impact. But it never came. The mage sighed in relief when she was put down on her own legs safely. She looked puzzled at the two young men that turned to leave before a light felt like it was burning fire made Lydia slightly dodge and turn around to notice the light herself.

"We've been busted. Run!" Lars said as Nicolas grabbed Lydia's wrist and dragged her before she could say anything.

"Do you know how to sail a ship?" Lydia asked while struggling to ascend the vessel.

"I will learn, in this situation." Lars said, getting scared looks from both Lydia and Nicolas.

"That's his way of saying we will sink." Nicolas concluded, in a most calm tone possible.

"Why did you catch me?" Lydia suddenly shot, after a long distance has been made from the deck. Nicolas and Lars looked at her weirdly. They had no idea where the discussion was leading to, but it seemed like the mine zone.

"Why wouldn't we have?" Nicolas asked, warily, not exactly knowing what to think.

"Well, I could have broken something and then you could run off and get the Core and keep it for yourselves, leaving me behind." Lydia explained as Nicolas and Lars looked at eachother, frowning.

"I think you are more wicked than I imagined..." Lars said, looking oddly at Lydia as Nicolas was muttering 'women...'.

One long path in the tropical jungle was pure death in mid-day. Why did the topical jungle path ended up in a desert filled with tigers, Lars couldn't understand. However, Lydia the mage seemed pretty unsure of the fact that the Core may be hidden deep in some desert caves, underground. She kept stating that it was not a good idea. But since when did the other two snobs care about her statements, or her mage visions?

Every of them kept on tattling about what they will accomplish after they find Nevrishka's Core, putting passion in their own rant, but not caring what the others were saying. However, the speeches had to end sooner or later, and that was after Lydia's grand plan bruised the other two brains and they looked at her in an askew manner.

"Money, wealth and infinite power is a waste with women like you." Lars concluded, a disgusted expression on his face.

Not actually knowing how many hours they spent in the lava-filled cave, since Lars lost his watch while fishing, saying that one huge gold fish stole it and gulped it in a triple-loop, they envisaged that they were stuck in the cave for more than a day, when they reached a hidden town filled with giant reptiles that were hissing at them warningly everytime they approached.

The large dragon laughed soundly in a hiss-like manner, Lars' face getting spit again. The dragon lord finished the happy moment and shook his head no at Nicolas' question, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Maybe we got the whole idea wrong." Lydia started. "Maybe there is no such thing as Nevrishka's Core." Lars looked at her, gasping for air in the hot atmosphere.

"Maybe you are the worst mage I ever met." He said, irritated, obviously affected by the sudden climate change. "How can you stand so much hair?" He asked Lydia after a long pause, getting a scowl in return.

"How can you ask a girl that? What's your problem with my hair?" She crossed her arms as Nicolas silenced them.

"Both of you have green hair. That is odd enough, so let's just find a way out of this maze." He stated as Lydia and Lars rolled their eyes simultaneously.

Assuming that they haven't been sleeping for the past three days, three phantomatic magic users struggled to their ship burnt and ragged. Their _stolen_ ship, mind you. As if nothing could go worse, a thermal storm soaked their once noble clothes as the trio looked down, helplessly.

…...

"Alright, I cannot stand this anymore." Edward said, a lavender-haired young lady standing next to his throne, rolling her eyes as he covered his face with his palms. "You are telling me that _you_ have been through all that for a stone? _One_ stone?" He said, annoyed.

"Yes."

"Chased by the tigers, sheltering in ice caves and _working_? You working?"

"I've never been so miserable in my entire life."

"And at the end of your journey, the antic stone was being guarded by a _dwarf_?" The lavender-haired girl asked, crossing her arms as the trio nodded.

"I have never been lied so much in one day in my entire life!" Edward said as Lydia hissed, insulted. "I would be grateful if you left and reconsidered your story." The prince said, standing up and leaving the throne as Rhen shook her head at Lars, following her relative.

"_Can you believe that?"_

"Well, I guess I'll stay behind." Nicolas said, pointing at the leaving Rhen and Edward. "Too bad about the stone."

"Yeah, I guess it was too expensive for our money..." Lydia said, looking down at her ragged gown.

"I suppose I am not the only one that would never go trough something like this ever again, right?" Lars said, receiving approvals from both sides.

"Excuse me, now, gentlemen, I have to go and order a new gown and a new pair of shoes and have a three days long bath." Lydia said, curtseying and leaving hurried.

"Money, wealth and women- a waste." Lars said loud enough so Lydia could hear him. "I guess I'll be leaving too." He said, looking at Nicolas and holding his hand out. Nicolas looked at the dirty hand, than at his.

"You'd best." He said, shaking hands with Lars.

"Later, moron!" The sorcerer said, following Lydia's steps and toward the exit of the castle.

Nicolas turned around and bumped into something hard as stone. Belf's throat roared at him as he frowned at the orc woman.

"You smell big time!" He stated before leaving elegantly at an alert pace.


End file.
